HACKENSACK — A Superior Court judge has ordered a temporary halt on printing East Rutherford's election ballots for the November general election and prohibits the local Democratic committee from filling a vacancy on their ticket until an official ruling can be made in two weeks.

Judge Estela De La Cruz issued a temporary restraint order on printing any ballots listing Councilman Jeffrey Lahullier until Sept. 28, when she will render a final decision regarding an election imbroglio between Lahullier and his council colleague and Republican candidate, Joel Brizzi.

There are two council seats open in this coming election, and longtime Republican Councilman Lahullier lost the Republican primary in June. But when the local Democratic County Committee offered an olive branch to Lahullier, and a spot on their ticket, after one of its candidates dropped out of the race, Brizzi called afoul.

Brizzi requested the "temporary restraint" on both the ballots and Lahullier's candidacy while he awaits an appeal to Bergen County Clerk John Hogan, who had turned down Brizzi's earlier request to remove Lahullier from the ballot.

In both his appeal to the clerk and request to the judge, Brizzi cited a state statute known as the "Sore Loser Law," which prevents a candidate from switching parties after a primary election has been held.

In a letter to both candidates dated Sept. 12, Hogan cited the "ambiguity" of the statute in cases when a vacancy is being filled, for which he said his attorney could not find a legal precedent. Something, he added, De La Cruz may be the first to set in the state.

However, Brizzi's attorney, Matthew Gilson, cited a 2005 case out of Plainfield in which an incumbent mayoral candidate, Albert McWilliams, switched parties to fill a vacancy on the Democrats' ticket. While that mayor's candidacy was upheld by a lower court that September, the appellate division removed him from the ballot a month later.

Brizzi's case will return before De La Cruz on Sept. 28, so that she has time to research the issue. Hogan said he expected her to uphold the plaintiff's request, but acknowledged that it would cause complications for his office.

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"That's putting us really under the gun as far as printing ballots," he said, adding that his attorney will contact the court on Monday.

Meanwhile, Gilson accused Hogan of "politicizing his office" as county clerk.

"You can spin it anyway you like," said Ed Ravettine, a sitting Democrat. "He's looking for any angle to run unopposed because he knows he has a tough fight" in November.

Switching parties is a common occurrence in East Rutherford. Recently deceased Republican candidate George Perry had switched from Republican to Democrat and back during his political career.

Ravettine, current Democratic front-runner and incumbent Councilman, has switched parties as well, three times before winning a seat, including a switch back to Republican for the 1999 primary, he said, at the request of Brizzi.